Prop for clothes-lines.



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CHARLES O. LAUTZ, OF ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT.

PROP FOR CLOTHES-LINES.

Application filed February 2, 1915.

To @ZZ lw/L-om it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES O. LAUTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ansonia, in the county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Props for Clothes- Lines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a prop for clothes lines.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a clothes line support whereby the line will be effectually maintained in an elevated position and the liability of the line becoming disengaged from the support will be practically negligible.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the support or prop that the engagement with the line therewith will be readily accomplished.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of means for preventing the accidental disengagement of the line from the support.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, such as will appear as the description progresses, my invention comprises the combination and arrangement of parts as set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing: Figure l is a perspective view of my device. Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Referring to the drawing wherein like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the several views: The embodiment of my invention herein illustrated comprises an elongated body portion l having adjacent its upper end a substantially circular aperture 2 with which communicates a channel 3 which extends downwardly from the said aperture and opens, as at 4, at one edge of the body portion l.

It will be seen that when using this device the line is passed upwardly through the slot 3 and rests on the lower face of the aperture 2 as illustrated in Fig. l of the drawing and is maintained ordinarily in this position by the weight of the line itself and the clothes on the said line, however, it is of common knowledge that the line is tossed about in the wind and becomes disengaged from the ordinary prop or support Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

Serial No. 5,720.

and therefore in order that the -line may not become disengaged accidentally from the above described support, but in order that it may be readily disengaged by the operator, I have provided a leaf spring 5 which is secured by suitable means 6 to one edge face of the body portion 1 and extends upwardly through the slot 3 in such position that the lower face of the slot and the said spring diverge leaving a space 7 between the said face and spring. The inner end of this spring is bent upwardly in arcuate formation forming a finger 8, the end of which finger is in spaced relation to the upper portion of the aperture 2.

It will be seen that in operation when the wind lifts the line, the said line will engage the inner face of the finger 8 and push the Said finger against the upper face of the aperture 2 and completely close the slot 3 and thus prevent the accidental escape of the line, however, as soon as the pressure is relieved from the line the resiliency of the spring 5 returns the said finger on the end thereof to its initial position and thus when the operator desires to disengage the line from the prop it is only necessary for him to lift the line vertically along the diameter of the aperture 2 and pass the line downwardly through the slot 8 between the upper face of the spring and the upper face of the aperture 2.

It is to be observed that the distance between the end of the finger 8 and the adjacent portion of the prop as indicated, at 9, is less than the diameter of the line and thus the accidental displacement will be prevented, but as before stated the operator may disengage the line readily by passing the line over the said spring finger 8 and this may be readily accomplished by twisting the line so that the linger will be depressed.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have provided a clothes line prop which will effectually support a line under all conditions and from which the line will not become accidentally disengaged during its raising and lowering due to the influence of the wind, but I have so constructed the device that a simple twisting movement of the line by the operator will readily disengage the line from the support or prop.

While I have illustrated and described a particular' embodiment of my invention, I have merely done so for the sake of conven ienoe and I do not Wish to be 'limited to that particular embodiment of my invention for it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction thereof Without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is y 1. A clothes line support comprising an elongated body portion having a circular aperturel in the upper end thereof, a slot communicating with said aperture and eX- tending downwardly. and open at one edge ofthe body portion, a spring secured to the edge of the body portion and extending up- Wardly Within the slot and havingv an arcuate finger on the end thereof, the extremity of the said linger beingspaoed from the Copies of this patent may be obtained for upperface of the aperture in such manner that a line passing through the aperture may be passed over the said finger by a simple twisting movement.

2. A clothes line support comprising a body portion having an aperture in the upper end thereof, a slot communicating Wit-h said aperture and opening at one side of the body portion and a spring secured to the body portion and extending across said slot to prevent the displacement of a line from the'aperture by a direct movement but permitting its disengagement by a twisting movement. v v

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES O. LAUIZ. Witnesses:

CHAs. E. REMER, WV. H. FOSTER.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of* Patents,l

Washington, D. C. 

